Montclair, NJ (09/22/04) - The Montclair State University field hockey team, ranked fifth in NCAA Division III, suffered its first setback of the season with tonight's 2-1 defeat to Manhattanville College at Sprague Field.

The loss drops MSU to 7-1 overall this autumn, while the visiting Valiants improve to 4-2. It was also the first home loss for Montclair since the 2002 season finale and the ECAC Division III Mid-Atlantic Championship, a span of 13 contests.

Junior midfielder Jessie Grasso put Manhattanville up, 1-0, on a penalty stroke at 33:59, her second penalty stroke in 57 seconds. MSU junior goalkeeper ROBYN APICELLI made a stick save on Grasso's first attempt, but was beaten to her left side on the second stroke.

The Valiants increased their advantage to 2-0 at 41:36 as freshman forward Kelsey Verrillo stuffed in the rebound of a long shot by junior midfielder Danielle Lacroix . The host Red Hawks finally broke through at 55:38 when junior forward Jaimie Lukacs deflected home a shot by classmate LISA SMICKLO but ultimately couldn't tie the score, not even on a penalty corner as time expired.

Apicelli finished with six saves for Montclair, while senior netminder April Yeomans turned aside 20 shots for the Valiants, including 12 tries in the second half alone.

MSU outshot Manhattanville, 30-13, and also had more penalty corners (19-4). The Red Hawks will now host Rowan University on Saturday, Sept. 25, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match, while the Valiants will visit Delaware Valley (PA) College that day in a Skyline Conference tilt.